Welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Cherie Marks!!

This is the first time Cherie and I have sat down to chat so I am very much looking forward to getting to know her better! At The Wild Rose Press authors are hugely supportive and friendly of each other so the more people I get to know, the happier I am writing for them.

Hi Cherie, pull up a chair and we'll get started!

1) When and why did you decide you wanted to be a published author?

I’ve always known I wanted to be published. My answer to ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ has always been—writer. Yet, after a bout with breast cancer, someday just wasn’t soon enough, so I decided to get serious and get published. Fortunately, my story found a home.

2) What is the best and worse thing you have learned from an editor/agent?

Best thing I’ve learned is to study the industry. The more you know, the better able you are to make good decisions for your future career. The worst? One particular agent was adamant that the only way to a publishing career was through him (Christ complex or something). I’m not saying not to query agents. I just think there are more options for authors than there used to be.

3) Favourite author/s?

I cut my teeth on authors like Johanna Lindsey and Julie Garwood, and I was forever a romance fan. But the truth is, I just love books. Romance, thriller, young adult, mystery—they’re all in my TBR pile. Some current favorite authors—Michael Crichton, Kresley Cole, Rachel Gibson, Carrie Ryan, J.m. Madden.

4) What is your typical day?

I have a day job, a husband, and three kids. Nothing is typical. But if all goes well, I get 30 minutes in the morning and two hours in the evening to devote to writing. That’s after all the ballgames, homework, dinner, and other typical household chores.

5) Share your blurb or short excerpt from your latest release with us

His hands burned with awareness of where they rested. His pulse raced, and her lips were mere inches from his. As if time stopped completely, they stared at each other, and for the life of him, Luke couldn’t seem to remember why he’d come in here.

Shyann shook off the haze first. “Let me go. I can get this without you.”

Against his need and with exaggerated motion, he pulled his hands away. She stumbled and eyed him suspiciously but went back to jumping for a high box.

Although he appreciated the bounce of her breasts each time she leaped upward, he forced himself not to stare, gathering some of his ingredients instead. But after watching for a few more seconds, with an irritated grunt, he reached around her, grabbed her target, and handed it to her.

“I said I didn’t need your help.”

“Fine, I’ll put it back.”

His hand touched the box, and she pulled it behind her. The motion caused their bodies to collide again. Her liquid brown eyes blazed up at him, and even as a small voice in the back of his brain screamed he didn’t have time for this, he couldn’t seem to pull away. She looked so damn soft and vulnerable, and all he wanted to do was step out of the way of her win, give it all to her because she deserved it. But first, he wanted to kiss her, a long, hot, turn-their-knees-to-jelly kiss.

6) Who would you cast to play your hero & heroine in a movie?

I’d want James Marsden to play Luke Tracy and Reese Witherspoon would make a great Shyann Devere

7) Did you plan this book? Or write it as it came?

A few of the scenes were planned in my head, but for the most part, I wrote it as it came to me. When I began the story, I honestly didn’t know what Luke had done to mess up his relationship with Shyann, but as often happens with a ticked-off woman, she told me in detail, and I wrote it down.

8) What surprised you the most when you became a published?

The surprise for me was the promotion. I’ve enjoyed it but didn’t really understand how much time it would require. I’m not complaining because I’ve wanted to be here for a long time, and I hope to be here for a longer time still.

9) Do you have a dedicated writing space? What does it look like?

Wherever I am. Unfortunately, I don’t have a specific writer space currently. Most of the time, if I get to choose, I write at the kitchen table—activity central—so I’ve had to adapt to noise and interruptions during writing time. Otherwise, I write while sitting on the couch, in bed, at work during lunch breaks, at the local Barnes and Noble, or wherever I happen to be when time allows. That’s the nice thing about using a laptop and a USB drive. I can set up quickly and shut down at a moment’s notice, if need be.

10) What’s next for you?

I have a couple stories in different stages of development, but I have one that’s pretty much writing itself (don’t you love that). It’s about a girl who comes back to her small hometown with a different look and a different attitude. That’s all I’m going to say about it for now.

Months after he stole her affections—then her executive chef position—Shyann and Luke meet again under sizzling circumstances, competing head-to-head on a televised cooking show called Kitchen Twist. Each arrives with a motive: Luke intends to win back Shyann’s heart, even as she wants closure on the not-so-tasty heartbreak he once served up.

Luke knows culinary masterpieces require a delicate touch, but that knowledge is tossed out with the leftovers as he works to show Shyann he’s not such a bad guy. Now he pushes his skills to the limit to win the competition and satisfy a bet.

Can two top chefs resist each other as they move out of the pan and into the fire?

http://www.cheriemarks.com

http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com
Facebook--http://on.fb.me/qRl1lD

Twitter—http://twitter.com/cheriemarks

Book Trailer--http://youtu.be/lXrDrRC1daM
Into the Fire available at http://tinyurl.com/3mfn3zj

Great interview and excerpt, Cherie - I really hope you enjoy your day at my site!

Comments? Questions?